Fortunes of War
by AliasCWN
Summary: The team is sent to find a large German force that has seemingly disappeared.
1. Chapter 1

**Fortunes of War**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 1

Captain Boggs had assigned the Rat Patrol to locate a large German force that was reported to have crossed into Allied held territory. After five days of crisscrossing the desert with no results Troy was feeling frustrated.

"A force that size doesn't just disappear!"

"The desert is a big place." Moffitt answered calmly.

"Not that big!" Troy jabbed a finger at the map on the hood of the jeep. "According to headquarters Jerry was spotted here a little over eight days ago." He looked up as Moffitt nodded in agreement. "And that pilot said it they were headed northeast." Moffitt nodded again but Troy didn't look up this time. "A force that size wouldn't be able to move very fast, especially with halftracks." Troy continued. "They'd need to stay near waterholes to replenish their drinking water."

"Here and here." Moffitt pointed at the map. "These are the only two that are northeast of their last known location."

"But we checked both of them, there aren't any fresh tracks near either of them!" Troy's frustration made his voice sound harsh. At the sound of his voice Hitch looked up from where he was stirring their rations. Troy seldom got short with Moffitt but from the sound of things this was one of those rare occasions. "Why hasn't anyone else reported seeing them? They couldn't just disappear!"

"Yet it seems that that is exactly what they've done old man." Moffitt smiled, unfazed by Troy's outburst.

"How?" Troy's voice had dropped back to its natural level so Hitch went back to stirring the food.

"Perhaps they set up some sort of base camp among the hills." The Brit suggested.

"The planes flew over them and didn't report seeing anything." Troy argued.

Moffitt shrugged his thin shoulders and looked back down at the map. "I suppose it's possible that the Germans used nets as camouflage and the planes just didn't notice them. The German planes miss us under the netting."

"A force that size?" Troy asked incredulously.

"Think about it Troy. What if the Germans are setting up a new base, or even a temporary one? If they had enough time they could have done a pretty fair job of covering the vehicles. The men would blend in well enough with their desert uniforms. We've done much the same thing many times over." The Brit explained thoughtfully.

"Yeah, but we're only two small jeeps and four men."

"True, but we can blend in without much warning. That commander knew we would be looking for them, he had plenty of time to prepare."

Troy stared at the map trying to picture what Moffitt was suggesting. His head started to bob as his quick mind considered the possibilities. "All right, suppose they did set up a camp somewhere in the hills, they still need water."

"True." Moffitt agreed.

"So where could they find enough water for that many men?"

Moffitt shrugged his shoulders again and smiled at Troy's expression. Sobering, he looked down at the map again. "To the best of my knowledge there is no sustainable source of water in those hills. If this were the rainy season they could possibly trap and collect run-off, but the rainy season is still months away. I suppose it is possible that they found a new source that I am not aware of, but unlikely. The Arabs would know of any water and they might have told the Germans but I think that I would have heard of it too."

Troy slammed his hand down on the hood in disgust. "They must have changed directions after the plane spotted them."

"Perhaps." Moffitt nodded. "But that would have taken them through areas that we patrol regularly. As you pointed out, no one else has reported any sightings. They may have found a way to hide a camp but hiding while traveling undetected is another matter."

"We've done it."

"We're only two jeeps and four men." Moffitt smiled as he repeated Troy's earlier observation.

Troy sighed. "But it's not impossible?"

"I wouldn't say anything was impossible," the Brit smiled, "just highly unlikely."

Troy shook his head and looked back down at the map. "If I didn't know better I'd say this was one of Dietrich's schemes. He's smart enough to pull something like this off and sneaky enough to think of it in the first place."

"They did make one mistake." Moffitt offered some encouragement.

"What's that?"

"They allowed that plane to spot them and report the sighting."

"Yeah," Troy grunted, "a fat lot of good that did us."

"It let us know they were coming and gave us a place to start."

"Yeah, but no idea where they went."

"But we know they are out there and we are looking for them."

Troy suddenly smiled. "I wonder if they took that into consideration when they made their plans."

"You can ask them when we find them." Moffitt laughed.

"Our orders are to locate that force and report its position." Troy grinned. "The Captain didn't say anything about dropping in for a visit."

"Just as well." Moffitt decided. "I doubt that they would be very sociable with uninvited guests anyway."

"Yeah, well, we still have to find them." Troy answered.

"I can head for the nearest town and ask the locals if they have seen anything out of the ordinary." The Brit suggested.

Troy shook his head. "I don't want to announce our presence if the locals are helping them. We'll save that as a last resort. If we don't find them we can always ask later."

"I can be discreet."

"I know, I just don't want to take that chance unless it becomes necessary." Troy frowned as he went back to the map. The water problem still stumped him. The two sergeants put their heads together and debated the pros and cons of each location they considered. They were still at it when Hitch delivered their meals.

"Still no idea where to look?" Hitch asked as he handed them the plates.

Troy took the plate and frowned at the map. "We have a couple of possibilities but none that really stand out."

"Doc can't help with that?"

Moffitt paused with a bite halfway to his mouth and smiled. "While I appreciate your confidence in my abilities, even I cannot know everything."

"You could have fooled me." Hitch grinned. "Maybe we could get you a crystal ball or something."

"No thank you, I prefer to have a few mysteries left in the world." The Brit replied seriously.

"Come on Doc, can't you narrow it down at all? At this rate we'll be out here until Christmas."

"Sorry Hitch, unless we get a few more clues we are just going to have to do it the old fashioned way. We'll just have to check out each possibility individually."

"If they didn't change directions." Troy huffed.

"If they didn't change directions." Moffitt repeated.

Hitch shook his head and turned to leave. "I'm going to take my meal and go eat with Tully. I have to take him something to eat anyway."

"If you see any crystal balls up there, pick it up, I'll take one." Troy called after his driver.

Hitch smiled and nodded. Picking up the two plates he had set aside, he headed up the slope of the dune to join Tully.

"Do you really want to take all of the mystery out of the world?" Moffitt teased.

"No," Troy admitted. "Not all of it. I'd settle for just knowing where that German force is hiding."

"We'll find it." The Brit answered with confidence. "I have faith in you."

They were finished with their meals and Hitch was packing up their mess kits when Tully called out. "Sarge!"

"What is it?"

"Company coming."

"A patrol?"

"No, too much dust for a patrol." Tully answered. "Either a convoy or a column."

"Well which is it?" Troy growled.

"Don't know Sarge, all I see is the dust." Tully replied.

"Oh for pete's sake!" Troy groaned. Grabbing a pair of field glasses from between the seats he ran up the slope to stand next to Tully. "Where?"

"Over there Sarge." Tully pointed off into the distance.

Troy could just make out the trail of dust kicked up by the moving vehicles, whatever they were. Amazed that Tully had spotted it at all, he refrained from commenting on the distance.

"We haven't found that German force yet; maybe we should go take a look." Lowering the glasses he checked his watch. "We'll check it out and if it turns out to be nothing we can still get to at least one of those possibilities we picked out."


	2. Chapter 2

**Fortunes of War**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 2

"A convoy."

"Looks like it's loaded heavy." Troy observed.

"Fuel?"

"Maybe." Troy nodded. "Only one way to find out."

"You want to hit it? What happened to not wanting to announce our presence?"

"If we hit the convoy and disappear maybe they'll think we were after the convoy. I'm thinking that we might draw out some of those troops that we want to find."

"You want them to chase us?"

"Can you think of any other way to draw them out?" Troy grinned. "I don't plan on letting them catch us."

"Of course not." Moffitt replied dryly. "That would result in a visit to their camp and we both know that Captain Boggs didn't authorize that."

"We already covered that." Troy smiled. "We are to locate and report, no more no less."

"No visit."

"No visit." Troy confirmed.

"Very well then, shall we go down there and welcome that convoy into our territory?"

"I think we should." Troy mimicked a British accent. Sliding backwards the two men rose and ran for the waiting jeeps.

"What is it Sarge?" Hitch asked as he hit the starter.

"A convoy, loaded heavy." Troy answered.

"Knew there was too much dust for a patrol." Tully drawled.

"Are we sneaking away?" Hitch asked as he straightened in his seat.

"No, we're going to hit it." Troy answered.

Tully looked up at Moffitt in surprise. The Brit smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Troy thinks we can lure those hidden troops out of hiding if we make our presence known."

"But then they'll know we're here. Won't they just dig in deeper?" Tully asked.

"Maybe." Troy admitted. "But I'm hoping they send someone after us. We'll avoid them until they turn back and then we'll follow them back to their lair."

"Unless they catch us." Tully drawled.

"At least then we wouldn't have to follow them." Hitch added in support of Troy's plan.

"It's a chance we have to take if we want to find them before they become permanent residents." Troy insisted. "I keep thinking that Dietrich is somehow involved in all of this. We don't want to give him a chance to dig in in our back yard."

"Why don't we just grab someone from the convoy and ask them where the other guys are hiding?" Asked Hitch.

"Because," Troy answered patiently, "if the base is such a secret it's possible that only the convoy commander will know their final destination. And if they are headed for that base they are going to be taking a lot of precautions to make sure they aren't being followed."

"It's also possible that this convoy is heading somewhere else and isn't even aware of the force we're hunting." Moffitt added.

"Okay." The blond shrugged. He reached over his shoulder and removed the dust cover from the muzzle of the 50.

Tully pulled the dust cover off of the other gun and turned to face forward in his seat. Moffitt climbed over the seat to man the gun.

"Shake it!" Troy called as he braced his feet in the rear of the jeep.

Both jeeps shot forward and raced around the end of the dune. The lead halftrack was already past the cut in the hills before the jeeps burst onto the road. The gunner in the rear turned to look as another of the crew cried out in alarm. Swinging the machine gun around the gunner reacted faster than his crewmates expected. He had the barrel of the gun facing the rear before they had time to get out of the way. The barrel of the heavy weapon hit one of them on the side of the head, knocking him unconscious. The second crewman yelled and threw himself to the side to avoid the same fate. He lost his balance on the metal floor and found himself tumbling over the side onto the ground. His indignant cry of protest was lost amid the rattling of the big gun. Seeing the driver swinging the halftrack around to confront the attackers, the unlucky soldier had to throw himself to the side of the road to avoid being run down by his own vehicle. Throwing his hands up in disgust, the unarmed soldier took cover behind some rocks to watch the ensuing battle.

The first jeep raced along the near side of the convoy. Troy's heavy slugs tore into the barrels strapped in the rear of the trucks. Hitch swerved away to avoid any backlash from the resulting explosions, but nothing happened. Moffitt and Tully, hitting the convoy from the other side, were having the same results. The slugs hit the barrels, and liquid poured from the holes, but there were no explosions. Tully kept his distance to be safe but the results were disappointing.

They only made one pass along the line of trucks before Troy signaled an end to the attack. Both jeeps sped away with the halftracks in hot pursuit. It wasn't long before the faster jeeps outran the heavier halftracks. Troy called for a halt on a hill where they could watch their back trail.

"What was that?" Troy demanded as soon as the jeeps rolled to a stop.

Moffitt shrugged.

"Hitch, stand watch!"

"Right Sarge." Hitch grabbed a rifle and climbed onto the hood of the jeep so he could see further.

"Why didn't those gasoline barrels explode? I hit them! I saw the gasoline pouring out!" Troy exclaimed.

"I hit them too." Moffitt answered. "And I saw the liquid pouring out." He shook his head in confusion. "I have no idea why there were no fires or explosions."

"That one truck did explode." Tully reminded his sergeant.

"Yes Tully, but I hit the gas tank on that one." Moffitt explained.

Tully chewed on his matchstick and left the problem solving to the sergeants.

"So what happened with the others?"

Moffitt looked thoughtful as he framed an answer. "Do you recall your problem with the route the Germans took?"

Troy frowned. "You mean how they skipped the water holes?"

"Yes."

Troy frowned again, thinking hard. Suddenly his eyes lit up and Moffitt knew that they were both thinking the same thing. "Those weren't barrels of gasoline, they were full of water!" Troy exclaimed.

"It makes sense." Moffitt admitted. "They avoided the water holes to avoid detection but they still need water. If that convoy was carrying water it would explain how they did it."

"Yeah," Troy confirmed, "and now we know their secret. All headquarters has to do to drive them out is cut off their water supply. That many men need a lot of water."

"Even stopping one of them will give them problems." Moffitt agreed. "But I doubt that it will drive them out."

Troy nodded in agreement. "I guess we still need to find that base. Until we do that they can just change the routes the convoys take to deliver the water. We might get some of them but some of them will still get through."

"Hey Sarge, those halftracks aren't giving up!" Moffitt and Troy turned to look up at their sentry.

"I suspect that they don't want us to reveal their secret." Moffitt said with a smile.

"Yeah, maybe it's time for us to disappear." Troy decided. "We can lose the tail and then sit back and wait. They're bound to send someone out to look for us. We'll watch for them and follow them back after they give up."

"Then I suggest we go." Moffitt stated. "Those engines are getting close."

Troy waved Hitch down and the two jeeps headed deeper into the hills to lose the halftracks. Tully chose steep, narrow trails but the Germans continued to follow. They would lose them for a while but soon the armored vehicles would appear on their trail again.

"They're still coming." Troy growled after checking their back trail again.

"They are persistent." Moffitt pointed out the obvious.

"We still have a few hours before dark." Troy noted. "Let's lead them deeper into the hills."

"We can't travel in these hills any better than they can after dark." Tully warned. "We even try it and we're liable to bust an axle. Comes to that, they're built tougher than we are. Those halftracks can take a beating that would stop our jeeps."

"We won't be traveling much after dark. We'll find a deep gully and cover the jeeps for the night."

"Before or after they stop chasing us?" Hitch asked. He was chewing vigorously on a wad of gum.

Troy suddenly realized that he hadn't heard a bubble pop in quite a while. "Are you worried Hitch?" He watched his driver as he formed an answer.

"Not worried Sarge just confused."

"How's that?"

"Why did we head for the hills when we could have outrun them on the open desert?"

"I didn't want to get caught out in the open by any planes." Troy explained. "And since we're short on gas too, I thought we'd head for the hills where we think the base is located." Troy smiled at the younger man. "Less driving for you later."

"That's all well and good Sarge, but these hills are burning gas too. We may have to raid the supplies the Germans are hiding." Tully interrupted.

"Then we'd better find that base." Troy answered.

The two privates exchanged glances but didn't voice any more arguments.

"Let's lose those halftracks." Troy ordered. He settled into his seat to help Hitch watch for rocks or stumps that could damage the underside of the jeep.

Full dark found them crowded into a narrow gully that protected them from the cold night wind and prying eyes. Tully and Hitch hurried to cover the vehicles with tarps so that they would blend into the shadows better.

Moffitt and Troy kept watch, listening for the sounds of the German motors. As the darkness deepen the night came alive with the sounds of the desert's nocturnal inhabitants. Chirps, cheeps and clicks echoed all around them as the insects and smaller mammals came out to call to each other.

"Let's eat a cold supper." Troy suggested as he circled the small camp. Tully nodded and crawled under the tarps to dig out the rations in the rear of the jeep. Troy was checking the perimeter again when Tully delivered his meal.

"Here Sarge."

"Thanks Tully." Troy took the offered meal packet and looked around for a seat.

"Hey Sarge."

"Yeah Tully?" Troy looked over to see Tully staring out into the darkness. "What is it?"

"I don't know Sarge, something doesn't sound right."

"The bugs aren't making you nervous are they? I thought you were a farm boy." Troy tried to lighten the mood.

Tully shook his head, refusing to rise to the bait. "Bugs don't bother me Sarge; I used to love to listen to the crickets and katydids after the sun went down back home."

"So what's bothering you?" Troy stood to look in the direction that Tully was looking.

"The bugs." Tully shook his head as Troy started to ask a question. "It's not the ones I hear, it's the ones I don't hear that worry me."

Troy paused to listen to the night sounds. "All I hear are bugs."

"Listen real close Sarge." Tully urged. "You can hear the ones all around us."

"Yeah?" Troy encouraged him to continue.

"Do you hear any bugs calling from further down the hill?"

Troy listened again, struggling to understand what had caught Tully's attention. Finally he heard it, or rather, he didn't hear it. The insects on the lower slopes were silent.

"Maybe there aren't any insects down there, maybe they all live up here." Troy suggested without any conviction.

Tully frowned at Troy's explanation. "There were bugs down there earlier."

Troy frowned. "You and Hitch stay by the jeeps. If you hear shots you get out of here anyway you can. Moffitt and I will go down and check it out."

"You be careful Sarge." Tully warned. "Those bugs can give away your position too."

Troy nodded. "You let Hitch know what's going on. I'll go get Moffitt. And Tully…"

Tully looked over at Troy.

"You and Hitch be careful too. Don't lose those jeeps, we need them." Troy added.

Tully grinned. "We know how much you worry about those jeeps Sarge, we'll be careful." Knowing that Tully understood what he was really worried about, Troy went to talk to Moffitt.

Hitch was holding a machine gun and standing next to the jeep when Troy and Moffitt went past. He nodded once without speaking, watching them until they faded into the night.

The insects in the immediate vicinity of the camp fell silent as the two men passed. They started up again a few minutes later. Tully and Hitch tracked the progress of the sergeants by listening to the insects.

Tully ghosted up next to Hitch and whispered. "Those other bugs are singing again."

"Maybe it's nothing." Hitch suggested hopefully.

"Maybe it's nothing." Tully agreed. "But maybe it's something too."


	3. Chapter 3

**Fortunes of War**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 3

Troy explained to Moffitt what Tully had told him.

"He could have something there." The Brit agreed as he listened to the insects. "They all seem to be sounding off now though."

"But they weren't a minute ago." Troy confirmed.

"Then we had better be careful." Moffitt warned. "Don't take anything for granted out there, the dark has a way of hiding her secrets."

"I never take anything for granted." Troy growled. "Let's go take a look."

With a nod to the privates the two sergeants faded soundlessly into the night. Around them the insects fell silent as they passed. Troy noticed the sudden silence and looked at Moffitt. The Brit nodded once, an acknowledgement of Tully's suspicions, and continued on. Behind them the insects started up again as if they had never been disturbed.

The rocky gullies that the jeeps had climbed before dark were much harder to navigate without light. Both men were careful where they put their feet but still an occasional stone would rattle to mark their passing. Each time that one of them would make a noise they would both freeze, listening to see if anyone had heard the sound.

The night winds blew the branches on the scrub trees. Some of the branches scrapped against rocks, screeching like fingers on blackboards. Moonlight danced over the swaying branches making shadows that appeared to shift and move. More than once the two sergeants froze when they thought they saw someone only to realize that they were mistaken. The scouting trip down the hills toward the flat of the desert was slow and tense.

Finally they reached the level where Troy estimated the insects had been quiet earlier. They both stopped to listen but the only silence was right around them. Troy looked over at Moffitt and shrugged.

"I think this is where the insects were quiet before. It's kind of hard to tell with sound in the dark." Troy whispered.

Moffitt stopped and looked around them, listening to the sounds of the desert at night. The insects had grown silent at their arrival but despite their standing still, the chorus of sounds had not resumed. Moffitt squatted next to some rocks and looked around.

"What's wrong?" Troy asked as he dropped down next to the other sergeant.

"I don't think we're alone." Moffitt answered.

"You're quite right Sergeant."

The voice that came out of the darkness was unexpected but not unfamiliar.

"Dietrich!" Troy gasped.

"Lower your weapons gentlemen, you are surrounded." The Captain's voice floated out of the dark.

"Come on Captain, you had two halftracks, maybe eight men. We've beaten that many men plenty of times."

"Count again Sergeant. Once we realized where you were headed we called ahead for help. There are twenty men aiming their rifles at you right now. Lay down your rifles or they will open fire."

"Help from where?" Troy demanded.

"I called that base that you are undoubtedly looking to locate. I can help you with that by the way."

Troy could hear the smile in Dietrich's tone. The Captain sounded so calm and confident that Troy's heart sank to his stomach. Looking over at Moffitt, he gave a small nod. The two men carefully lowered their weapons to the ground and laced their fingers behind their heads.

German soldiers rushed out of the darkness from all around them. Troy didn't take an actual count but he figured Dietrich's count was about right. They were searched and their hands were cuffed in front of them.

A strange lieutenant stood next to Dietrich as the two prisoners were forced to stand before the officers.

"Where are your privates?"

"Long gone by now." Troy answered.

Dietrich smiled. "I had a feeling you would say something to that effect. Unfortunately for you and your men, I know it isn't true." The Captain turned and said something to the other officer who nodded and hurried away. Turning back to the prisoners, the Captain inclined his head toward the hill. "Shall we walk up and collect your men?"

"Find them yourself." Troy snapped.

"Troy." Moffitt turned to look at Troy while keeping an eye on Dietrich. "I think we should cooperate."

"Why?"

Moffitt nodded toward the darkness where the unknown lieutenant had gone. "That officer is calling to another unit deeper in the hills. They are going to trap Hitch and Tully between their two forces. That lieutenant didn't look like he wanted to take prisoners."

"Correct Sergeant." Dietrich agreed. "He didn't want to keep you alive either. It was only when I suggested that you could help us catch the others that he agreed."

"Why would we help you catch them?"

"Because we are fairly certain that we know where you hid your jeeps." Dietrich explained. "His men have orders to destroy both jeeps with grenades and then fire into the gully until they are sure that your men are no longer a threat."

"They won't have much of a chance if they are still near the jeeps." Moffitt reasoned.

"None at all if they resist." Dietrich confirmed. "Unless you want to see them dead, I suggest that you take me to them and order them to surrender."

Troy and Moffitt exchanged looks before Troy gave one curt nod. "All right Captain, you win this round."

"Lead the way Sergeant."

Moffitt was held back until Troy had taken the lead. With no need for stealth the trip back to the jeeps went much faster.

"How much further Sergeant?" Dietrich asked after about ten minutes.

"We're almost there." Troy admitted.

"Then I suggest that you call to them and tell them not to try to escape." When Troy glared at him Dietrich took the time to explain. "The lieutenant has men stationed above them and on both sides. This is about where we thought you might have taken refuge. We had a trap set for you but you stopped before you reached it. If your men try to slip through the lines and are detected they will be shot with no opportunity to surrender. By calling to them you may be saving their lives."

With another glare at Dietrich Troy turned toward the darkness and cupped his hands in front of his mouth. Raising his voice, he shouted into the darkness. "Hitch, Tully, stay where you are. Dietrich has you surrounded and they know where the jeeps are hidden."

Only silence answered his call.

"Stay put, we're coming to you." Troy called again. Without waiting for an answer Troy started up the hill.

"Sergeant." Dietrich called softly. "No tricks or you will all be killed and there will be nothing I can do to stop it."

Troy looked over his shoulder and noted the sincerity on the officer's face. "No tricks Captain." Dietrich nodded and ordered his men forward. When the covered jeeps came into sight Troy paused and searched the area around the vehicles. "Hitch, Tully."

"Here Sarge."

Troy turned as both privates slipped from underneath some brush and got to their feet. Their hands were empty and they were careful to keep them in plain sight. He sighed in relief and looked back at Dietrich. "What now Captain?"

German soldiers rushed the two privates, searched them, and slipped handcuffs onto their wrists. A sergeant stepped out of the circle of men with a length of rope in his hands. Tying one end to Moffitt's waist, he wove the rope around the handcuffs and moved on to the next prisoner. He secured Hitch, then Tully, and finally he tied the other end to Troy's waist. With the prisoners all tied together, he stepped back.

Dietrich waited until the German sergeant had stepped back before he answered Troy's question. "Now Sergeant you are about to discover the location of that base you were seeking."

"What base would that be?" Troy asked innocently.

"No more talking Sergeant, just start climbing."

The German soldiers began to shove the prisoners, urging them up the hill. Troy led the way, looking for any chance to escape. As they cleared the gully their group was joined by even more soldiers. Estimating the total to be somewhere around forty, Troy realized that Dietrich had been telling the truth, they had been surrounded. He was glad that he had followed his instincts and taken the German at his word. He tried not to think about what might have happened if he hadn't called to his men.

The walk up the hill took a while in the dark but Troy knew they hadn't really climbed that far. In the daylight they could have covered the same distance in about ten to fifteen minutes. In their ignorance they had almost driven right into the German encampment.

The moonlight cast odd shadows as the Rat Patrol was led into a clearing. It took them a minute to realize that they were looking at cleverly camouflaged tents. Paint had been splattered over the canvas to make them blend into the sand and vegetation of the hillside. To complete the subterfuge brush had been planted around some while others had brush tied to the tops. Rocks helped conceal the doors while holding the flaps in place so they wouldn't blow in the breeze. Someone with some serious skills had planned and carried out the concealment of the encampment.

The prisoners were led past tents in clusters and single randomly placed tents. There was none of the typical German perfection that so often ruled their existence. Normally the tents would have been lined up in neat rows, each one spaced to exact specifications. The German leaders usually demanded conformity of their rank and file. This camp looked like a wind had blown through and tossed the tents around and no one had straightened up yet.

"No wonder the planes couldn't find this place." Troy told Moffitt. One of the guards growled at them, raising his rifle in a threatening manner. Troy looked to Moffitt for translation.

"No talking." Dietrich spoke before Moffitt had a chance.

Troy glared at the guard defiantly but kept quiet. The guard snarled at him and shoved him forward. They were ordered to stop in front of the largest tent they had seen so far. The unidentified lieutenant rushed forward and knocked on the tent frame. A gruff voice told them to enter. The lieutenant held the flap as the prisoners were shoved inside.


	4. Chapter 4

**Fortunes of War**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 4

"So, these are the Allied soldiers I have heard so much about?"

"Yes sir." Dietrich answered respectfully.

"Were they cowering where we suspected?"

"Almost exactly." Dietrich confirmed.

The officer nodded with a smile. "I have done quite a bit of study into human behavior. The human mind is a marvelous thing and we have so much more to learn about it. While I was at the university I was involved in numerous studies to discover how a brain dealt with a problem. We manufactured scenarios where the mind would have to solve a problem or deal with a difficult decision. It always amazed me how many different ways a man could react to the same problem. Take capture for instance; some men are defiant, always seeking to escape. Others seem quite resigned to it and try to make the best of it. Yet still others wither and die in captivity without making any attempt to escape." The officer studied the prisoners. "Which type are these I wonder?"

"Definitely the first type." Dietrich volunteered.

"Truly?" The officer seemed interested. "We mustn't allow them to escape and reveal the presence of this base. Our secret must be kept at all cost. The prisoners must die I'm afraid." The officer studied the four men before him. "I wonder how far they would be willing to go to survive." He eyed Dietrich as if he expected the other officer to have an answer. "I wonder." He repeated when no answer was forthcoming.

Dietrich shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny.

"You said that they are very close. Are they loyal to one another?"

"Yes sir, very." Dietrich replied.

"Would they die for one another?"

"Sir?"

The officer paced back and forth in front of the prisoners. "It's a simple question Captain. Would any of them give his life to save the others?"

Dietrich eyed the prisoners. Moffitt was the only one who understood the conversation and he was glaring at the other officer angrily. "Yes sir, I believe that they would."

"Any one of them in particular?"

"Any one of them." Dietrich answered.

"So you are saying that you believe that any one of them would give his life to save the others?"

"Yes sir."

"Interesting. I wonder how the others would react if that were to be the case."

"They have reacted quite violently on several occasions when they thought that one of their number had been killed." Dietrich explained. "They become, not more ruthless, because they are never that, but..." Dietrich paused to find the right words. "More efficient. It's as if they do more damage without really trying. Perhaps more focused is the word I am searching for to explain it."

"Yes, I have seen several instances where men have reacted in much the same manner. Those men were loyal to each other too."

"Then you understand how dangerous they can be. This particular unit has proven to be quite resourceful." The captain warned.

"Are they the type who seeks revenge for perceived wrongs done to them?" The officer turned to Dietrich again. "You have managed to at least wound one of them from time to time?"

"No and yes." Dietrich answered. "Revenge for itself doesn't seem to be something that interests them. I have managed to wound them from time to time. I believe that they consider injuries in battle to be a fortune of war. They have their own moral code that they adhere to despite the circumstances of war. Don't get me wrong sir, they are not above killing someone who hurts them, they just don't seem to be driven by a sense of revenge."

"What drives them then?"

"They kill for their own survival but in the cases that have come to my attention they have killed those who violate their sense of honor and humanity. They hate the Gestapo in particular. Their methods to be more exact."

"Ah." The officer exclaimed. "Yes, I can understand their feelings since they are prime candidates for the attention of those interrogators. Tell me Captain, would they kill for each other?"

"Absolutely."

"I have heard rumors that there is some unusual connection between them and you. Would they kill you?"

Dietrich hesitated at the implied accusation. "I don't know what you mean. What connection?"

"Just that you seem unusually lucky when your convoys are attacked. Would they kill you Captain?"

"I believe they would do so without any hesitation." Dietrich answered stiffly.

"Ask them."

"Ask them? Ask them what exactly?"

"Ask them if they would kill you if I offered them their freedom in return?" The officer smiled at the Captain's stunned expression. "Relax Captain; it's not a legitimate offer. I am just curious about how they would answer."

The captain obediently translated the question.

Troy grinned at the offer. "Tell him to try us and see."

Dietrich translated Troy's answer.

The officer laughed out loud. Dietrich frowned. "I need to give some thought to what we are going to do with our guests." The officer decided. "Why don't you bring your convoy in and get that water unloaded before daylight? My men can help get the barrels under cover. I want you and your vehicles under cover well before dawn Captain. You can leave as soon as it gets dark tonight. I want you well away from here before daylight the following day."

"We are only going to be delivering about half of the water." The captain explained. "Thanks to your prisoners the rest leaked out into the sand."

"You'll just have to make another run earlier than expected." The officer ordered. "Water is essential to our survival and it is your responsibility to keep us supplied."

"Understood sir." The captain inclined his head slightly. "We'll see you early next week then. That is the earliest that we can get another convoy out here."

"Very well, I guess that will have to do." The officer offered Dietrich a smile. "Right now I think we need to get our business completed, business before pleasure Captain." Dietrich took his leave to meet his arriving convoy and get the water unloaded.

After Dietrich left the commander's tent he walked across the compound. Behind him he saw the prisoners being moved to the only fortified tent that he had seen so far. He supposed that if one didn't have any cells then a fortified tent was the next best thing.

Troy and the others were shoved into a tent that was set into a break in the rock wall of the valley. More rocks were piled around it in a seemingly haphazard way that served to reinforce the security of the structure. Brush piled on top gave it the appearance of being a rock slide since they had colored the top of the tent with a coating of dirt and paint.

Troy was the first into the tent and he quickly moved all the way to the back to make room for the others. Since the tent was one of the smaller ones it was a bit crowded with all four men squeezed inside. A wooden panel was placed against the door and the prisoners could hear rocks being stacked against it.

Each of them looked around their tiny prison, each lost in their own thoughts. The silence dragged on, the only noise the sounds of their breathing. Hitch fiddled with his cap, fingering the rim on the inside.

"Well I sure made a mess of this." Troy growled as he checked the links on the handcuffs.

"Not your fault old man." Moffitt replied. "I should have suspected something like this."

"We all should have." Tully agreed.

"Especially when these halftracks just kept coming." Hitch added.

"Still." Troy began.

"Still nothing." Moffitt interrupted. "Now is not the time to assume blame. Right now what we need is one of your brilliant plans to escape."

"What was all that talk between Dietrich and that officer?"

"That officer claims to be a student of human behavior. Apparently he was a professor or something of the sort at some vague university. He claims to have been involved in the study of human behavior while there. Something about setting up certain scenarios and watching to see how different people reacted to the problems they faced."

"What did that have to do with the offer of giving us our freedom if we agreed to kill Dietrich?"

Moffitt grunted. "That was never a real offer as I'm sure you understood. He told Dietrich that the offer was not legitimate, he just wanted to hear our reaction."

"Do you believe him?"

"About the offer being legitimate, yes, I don't believe he ever meant to free any of us. As a matter of fact, he said as much. He said that none of us can be allowed to escape to reveal their secret."

"Would he let us kill Dietrich?"

"That's a bit harder to deny." Moffitt made a face. "I don't believe that there is any love lost between the two of them."

"So we don't have any choice, we have to escape soon?" Troy asked.

"I would think the sooner the better." Moffitt answered positively.

"All right, where are we?" Troy asked. "We know Dietrich is hauling supplies to keep this base a secret. We know where it is. What we don't know is what they are planning for his base."

"Dietrich is hauling water to keep the base a secret." Moffitt smiled. "Yes, we were correct about the cargo. The good captain is going to return to his base, pick up more water and return within a few days. He seems to be in a bit of hot water for allowing us to destroy part of his shipment."

"At least we did something right." Troy grinned. "But why is this base here? What is its purpose? They went to a lot of trouble to get here in secret and keep it hidden."

"It's really well hidden." Tully drawled.

"Bigger than we thought." Hitch added.

"But that doesn't tell us why its here." Moffitt pointed out.

"Did you notice how they're moving the rocks away from the cliff wall in certain areas?" Troy asked.

"I didn't take notice." Moffitt admitted.

"They could be making room to hide a couple of big guns. Slip them back into a crack in the wall and drop a net over them, they'd be darn hard to find."

"They'd be able to hold off a pretty big force from up here if they were dug in." Hitch suggested sounding worried.

"Yeah, but it won't do them any good unless we try to move into the area." Troy argued. He caught a flash of something cross his driver's face. "What is it Hitch?"

"Maybe nothing Sarge."

"What…is…it?" Troy repeated slowly.

"Just a rumor I heard." The blond answered uneasily. "I heard a couple of the guys talking in the mess hall the other day."

"About what?"

Hitch looked toward the door. Moffitt moved over and pressed his ear to the wooden panel. After a moment he nodded. "It sounds clear; the guard won't be able to hear us as long as we keep our voices low."

"Okay Hitch." Troy nodded encouragement.

"They were talking about a new offensive that they heard someone at headquarters talking about."

"You overheard someone talking about something they overheard someone else talking about?" Troy asked.

"Yeah." Hitch admitted. "But they mentioned this particular area. They said that headquarters wants to put big guns up here so they can defend the area. They were talking about the pros and cons of the idea."

"Great, and the krauts beat us to it."

"And they are going to be hard to dig out." Moffitt decided.

"If we don't get out of here our side won't even know they're here until its way too late."

"Do you have a plan Sarge?" Hitch asked expectantly.

"Not yet." Troy growled.

"Quiet." Tully suddenly warned.

They all heard what had alerted Tully. Outside their door the rocks holding the panel closed were being moved.

They all turned to face the door as it was opened. The guards rushed in and grabbed both sergeants by the arms. The sergeants were shoved out of the tent. Still tied together the privates had no choice but to follow. They were once again taken to the large tent where the German officer waited for them. He rose as they entered, his eyes bright with excitement. They waited, but he merely stood in front of them watching them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Fortunes of War**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 5

The officer continued to watch them with obvious pleasure as they waited to see what he would say. Moffitt chose not to reveal that he spoke German since he suspected that Dietrich had not made that fact known. He wasn't sure what game the captain was playing but he was willing to allow the omission for the present. Troy looked at Moffitt expectantly but Moffitt gave a slight shake of his head and lowered his eyes. Troy got the message and kept quiet.

A sound behind them caused them to turn and look toward the door. Captain Dietrich stepped through the door into the tent. Behind him another soldier ducked through the doorway. Luckily they were facing away from the officer when the second man straightened and stepped from behind Dietrich. Dietrich saw the recognition in their eyes as Karl Litzman entered but he didn't comment on their reaction. The officer couldn't see their faces so he missed the slight tightening of their eyes. Karl already knew of their capture so he was able to keep his expression blank. Stopping behind his captain's shoulder, he waited for more orders.

"Ah Captain, I understand that you have your convoy unloaded."

"Yes sir." Dietrich admitted warily.

"Before you turn in to catch some sleep, I would like you to translate for me."

"Very well sir."

"Please translate my offer word for word. You can do that can't you?"

"Of course sir."

"Tell the prisoners that I am offering one of them a chance to live."

Dietrich paused. "Only one of them?"

"Please translate exactly what I said."

Dietrich did.

The prisoners listened to the translation with blank faces.

"Tell them the choice will be up to them."

The captain translated. The officer watched for a reaction but he was disappointed.

"Tell them that the man willing to kill the other three will be allowed to go free."

Dietrich couldn't hide his shock. Karl ducked behind his captain's back so his rage wouldn't show.

"Tell them Captain."

Dietrich looked at the prisoners with concern. He expected a reaction when he translated the offer. Unconsciously taking a step backward, he began to translate.

Troy's eyes narrowed as he listened to the offer. He glared at the officer as Dietrich finished the translation. "Tell him to forget it." Troy growled.

"The offer is open to any of you." Dietrich clarified, not because he thought it would change anything, but because he knew the officer would demand that he make it clear.

Troy turned angrily to the others. "Tell them."

"We're not interested." Hitch spoke hotly.

"How about we shoot him instead?" Tully drawled.

Moffitt remained silent.

"Moffitt?"

"Perhaps we should consider the offer." The Brit responded. "At least one of us would survive. He said that that man would be given his freedom." The Brit looked Troy right in the eye. Troy started to argue but remembered the other sergeant's earlier translation about their fate. Troy dropped his eyes and thought fast.

"Can you do it, because I can't?" Troy said instead.

"Perhaps Tully would do it." The Brit smiled sadly.

"No!" Tully yelled.

"Okay Dietrich." Troy dropped his head and lowered his voice. "Ask him if he'll give us a little time to decide who will do it?"

Again Dietrich failed to hide his shock. "You are actually considering this?"

"Do we have any other choices?" Troy snapped angrily.

"What are they saying?" The officer demanded impatiently.

"Are you sure Sergeant?" The captain temporarily ignored the officer.

"See if he will give us a little time." Troy repeated.

"Of course." The officer agreed when Dietrich translated the request. He glanced at his watch. "It is almost dawn now. They can have until dusk to decide."

"You have until dusk." The captain informed Troy.

"Thank you Captain. Are you going to stick around for our decision?"

"I hope not Sergeant. My convoy will leave as soon as it gets dark so that we are miles from here before daylight. We mustn't be spotted in this area if we hope to keep our secret." Dietrich paused. "Sergeant, this entire matter goes against everything I have been taught about honor. A soldier may die in battle or perhaps trying to escape, but this crosses any line I have ever drawn. I am sorry."

Troy nodded, keeping his head down. "It's been fun Captain. You were and honorable and worthy opponent."

"As were you Sergeant." Dietrich admitted. "Sergeant, no matter how this turns out. Each and every one of you has earned my respect."

Troy looked up and his eyes glittered with emotion. "Thank you Captain, the feeling is mutual."

Dietrich translated Troy's response to being given the time he had requested.

"Excellent." The officer nodded happily. "The prisoners will be returned to their tent until dusk. If everything is satisfactory with the convoy Captain I would suggest that you and your men get some rest." Dietrich nodded and turned to leave. "Captain."

"Yes sir?"

"How many barrels of water were lost?"

Dietrich looked uncomfortable. "A little more than half."

"I see." The officer looked angry. "Then we will not waste any of our remaining supplies on prisoners. Tell your own men to stick to strict rationing with our water. If they had done a better job of protecting that cargo we would not be in this situation."

"My convoy has its own supply of water." Dietrich informed him stiffly.

"And I am willing to bet that your own supply was not damaged in the attack." The officer snapped in return.

"I haven't had the chance to check." Dietrich replied tightly. "I was preoccupied driving your prisoners into your trap."

At the mention of the prisoners the officer's eyes glittered with anger. "And you drove them straight to my base! You have an odd way of keeping a secret Captain."

"They had no idea where your base was located until you ordered them brought here Sir." Dietrich answered calmly. "I could have taken them back to my base and they would still be ignorant of its location. Unfortunately, that is no longer an option."

"It's a little late to lay blame now." The officer answered in a suddenly subdued tone. "But it is not too late to rectify the mistake. They have not told anyone what they know. This can be one of those fortunes of war that you are so fond of quoting. There is no need to ever speak of this again."

The captain took a breath and tried to maintain a calm that was fast slipping away. "Yes sir."

"Go to your quarters and get some rest Captain. You have a long drive ahead of you tonight. Make sure that your men understand the need to stay under cover during the daylight hours. My men will be keeping an eye on them." The officer waved a dismissal at the captain.

Dietrich urged Karl out the door ahead of him. Once outside he paused to take a deep breath. He felt like he needed to breathe some clean air after the atmosphere in the tent. He still couldn't believe that Troy and his men had accepted the offer. True, they hadn't been given any other options, but it still surprised him. He would have bet that they would laugh in the officer's face. The offer made him angry but it should have been of no concern to him. _They are the enemy. Why should I care? Because it isn't right._ His conscious argued. _There is no honor in the way they are being treated._ It helped to know that Sergeant Moffitt would have given Troy the entire translation of everything that had been said or implied. At least their decision would be made with all of the facts known. Tired of the internal debate, the captain headed for their quarters to reinforce the order to his men to stay out of sight. He glanced back often to make sure that Karl was still behind him.

"What can we do Captain?" Karl asked as soon as they were clear of the tent.

"Nothing!" Dietrich barked in irritation. "Once again there is nothing we can do. These situations are out of our control. I want you to stay with me private. Don't leave my side for any reason."

"Yes Captain." Karl answered miserably.

"These are the fortunes of war." Dietrich said in a softer tone. "They have made their decision and they must live or die with the consequences."

"How can one of them be asked to kill the others?" Karl asked n confusion. "How can one of our officers ask that of another soldier? To put one out of his misery I can see, but this?"

"Not all of our officers are honorable soldiers. It takes all kinds to win a war." The Captain answered sadly. "And unfortunately, it is not limited to just officers or even to our own army, I am afraid that a war brings out the best and the worst in men."

"Still, it is wrong." Karl declared.

Dietrich just nodded.

Karl turned to find two of his fellow soldiers standing behind them.

"What's happening?" Private Fritz Getz asked as Captain Dietrich stepped away to talk to his lieutenant. "Gunter and I heard part of what you said. Are they really going to kill all of them?"

"No," Karl answered. "They have given them a choice. If one of them will kill the others, that one will be freed. Only they have no intention of freeing any of them. After he kills the others they plan to kill him too."

"After they promised him his freedom?"

"Yes." Karl sighed. "And after they force him to kill the others."

"Is the captain going to allow this?" Fritz asked in amazement.

"The captain says there is nothing we can do." Karl explained.

Fritz nodded thoughtfully. "They are the enemy."

"The captain calls it a fortune of war." Karl admitted.

"When will this happen?" Fritz asked.

"Tonight." Karl answered. "I must get back to the captain." Hurrying to catch up to Dietrich, Karl stayed close to the officer. Knowing that his friends disliked the Allied prisoners, Karl didn't want to talk about them anymore.

The prisoners were taken back to their tent. Once the rocks were again placed against the door the four men tried to get comfortable.

"Did you get a good look at this place?" Troy asked the others.

"Were those plywood rocks blocking the way out?" Hitch asked in disbelief.

"They rolled them out of the way without any trouble when the convoy wanted to come through." Tully reasoned.

"Plywood rocks. Paint splattered tarps. It all looks pretty realistic. Who are these guys?" Troy wondered aloud.

"It seems to me that your American army did something very similar not so long ago." Moffitt said softly.

"What do you mean Doc?" Hitch asked curiously. "I don't remember us having any hidden bases anywhere."

"What's the point of having a hidden base if everyone knows about it?" Troy asked.

"True." Moffitt smiled. "But that isn't exactly what I meant. I was just recalling a story about how your army recruited the people who make your movies to help them deceive the Germans. They are experts at making the make believe look believable are they not? They build entire towns that look so realistic that your movie viewers think they are real. I read where they make the rocks and trees they use so that they are hard to tell from the real thing. This seems to me to be something on that scale."

"They're pretty good." Hitch admitted. "Those rocks looked real even from close up. They'll fool planes and the ground troops alike."

"The netting won't fool the ground troops." Troy argued.

"But they have to get past the rocks to see the netting." Tully pointed out. "And they have all the trails up to here blocked by those fake rocks. Unless they realize the rocks are fake they won't even try to come up here."

Troy nodded, accepting the truth when he heard it.

"Hey Sarge, listen." Tully put a finger to his lips.

"That sounds like our jeeps." Hitch whispered.

"They are probably moving them into camp so that they won't be found." Moffitt guessed.

"Maybe we can find them when the time comes. Keep your eyes open when they take us out." Troy ordered. They all fell silent as they tried to come to terms with the situation. "Let's try to get a little rest while we have the chance." Troy suggested.

Moffitt shook himself awake some time later and looked at the crack above the door. Sighing, he woke the others. "It's getting dark; we'd better come up with a plan on how we are going to survive this."

"Will this help?" Hitch handed Troy a penknife.

"How'd you manage to keep that?"

"I put it in my hat when you yelled up and told us to stay put. I figured they might not look in there, and I was right."

Troy smiled and handed it back. "You keep it; you may find a use for it later." He looked around at all of the familiar faces and wondered how he was going to save them this time.

The four of them tossed around ideas until the guards arrived outside of their door. As the guards escorted them back to the commander's tent the prisoners took the time to look around.

"I see the jeeps." Hitch whispered as he crowded close to Tully.

"Yeah, I saw them too." Tully answered over his shoulder. The guard caught them talking and ordered them to be quiet. They marched across the compound with the German soldiers all watching them curiously.

Troy noticed Dietrich's men getting their vehicles ready to return to their base. When he looked around he spotted the captain just entering the commander's tent ahead of them.

"My convoy is ready to leave." Dietrich was telling the commander as the prisoners were forced into the tent.

"Very well Captain, you may leave a soon as you have finished translating for me."

Dietrich looked over at the prisoners and smiled. "You don't need me to translate for you; one of your prisoners speaks German."

"Are you certain?" The officer asked.

"Yes. Quite certain." Dietrich smiled again.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The officer demanded angrily.

"I thought I had." Dietrich stated calmly. "We were discussing them and I am quite certain that I mentioned it at the time."

"I don't remember you mentioning it at any time." The officer snarled.

"I just did." Dietrich replied.

"This changes nothing!" The officer shouted. "They will still make their choice. Go Captain! Get out of my sight."

"As you wish." Dietrich saluted and turned to leave. There was a small smile on his face as he herded Karl out the door ahead of him.

The officer watched him go with a look of intense hatred on his face. Getting himself under control, he took a deep breath and turned to the prisoners.


	6. Chapter 6

**Fortunes of War**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 6

"Have you made your decision?" He looked at all four men, seeking the one who spoke German.

"Yes we have." Moffitt answered in German. "It was a difficult choice."

"I'm sure it was. Why didn't you tell me you spoke German?"

"You didn't ask." Moffitt smiled.

The officer glared at him for a moment as he waited for their decision. Moffitt continued to smile at him. "Well?" He demanded after several minutes.

"Well what?"

"Your decision…what is it?"

"Oh that." The British sergeant looked over at Troy.

"Who has chosen to be the one?" The commander demanded.

"First we must make sure that we all understand the agreement." Moffitt answered. Outside they could hear the Captain's convoy getting ready to leave.

"Yes, yes. Who have you chosen?"

Moffitt looked over at the others. "Tully. Private Pettigrew."

Tully looked miserable but he nodded obediently.

"A private?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No, no. It's just that I thought you would have tried to save a sergeant."

"Tried?" Moffitt repeated. "We were under the impression that if he did this he was to be freed. That was the deal I believe."

"Yes, that was the deal." The officer agreed suspiciously. "Why would you choose a private?"

Moffitt smiled at the officer. "Tully is our best shot. We decided that if we were going to get shot, we didn't want to take a chance on him missing."

The officer smiled at the explanation. "I see."

"Tully will be allowed to go free when it is done?"

"I said so did I not?" The commander asked.

"Being free is not the same thing as being allowed to go free and we both know it." The Brit stated. "He won't do it until we have your word."

"All right Sergeant, you have my word." The officer made the promise even as he privately pictured his men hunting Tully through the hills around the base.

"When will Tully have to do this thing?" Asked the sergeant.

"My men are waiting outside as we speak." The officer explained.

"Very well." Moffitt nodded as he looked over at Troy. Troy gave a small nod. "Where will he do it?"

"Outside. There is a wall out there that should do nicely."

Moffitt looked at Troy again and Troy gave another nod. "Tully, you know what you need to do." Moffitt started toward the door.

"Yeah Sarge I know," Tully answered quietly, "but I don't like it."

"What did he say?" The officer demanded.

Moffitt translated for the officer.

"He will be given a rifle with only three bullets." The officer explained. "One for each of you. If he misses or fails to kill you with a single bullet he will have to finish the job with his bare hands." The officer paused as a thought occurred to him. "Perhaps I will allow him to use a rock if that would suit him better."

"How generous of you." Moffitt replied sarcastically.

"Line up over there." The officer pointed to a rock wall behind the command tent.

"Perhaps you should remove this rope." Moffitt suggested. "Tully can hardly be expected to shoot us while still tied to us."

Two soldiers stepped forward to remove the rope. They had untied both ends and were removing the ropes from between Hitch and Tully when the explosion rocked the base. A second one followed close behind.

Moffitt whipped around and reached for the officer.

Troy grabbed one of the soldiers untying the ropes. Knocking him to the ground he grabbed his rifle as the soldier fell.

Tully pulled the second soldier off balance by yanking on the rope in his hand.

Hitch swiped his hand in front of the soldier's face and blood flew from the cut across his throat. The penknife in his hand dripped red as Hitch spun around to go after the soldier Troy had dropped.

Tully picked up the second rifle and turned it on the guard.

The German soldiers were frozen in place as they watched their commander struggle in Moffitt's arms.

"Tell them to drop their weapons." Moffitt snarled in the officer's ear.

The officer hesitated.

"Do it or you won't live to see us die."

"Drop your weapons." The officer ordered in a shaky voice. His eyes bugged out with fear as Moffitt's hand tightened on his throat. The German soldiers slowly lowered their weapons to the ground.

"Find the keys Moffitt." Troy ordered.

"He has them in his pocket." The Brit answered.

"Tully, Hitch, go get the jeeps."

"I suggest we take the commander along with us to get the jeeps." Moffitt spoke softly. "If Hitch and Tully get too far away from us some of the commander's men might get brave."

"Okay, we all go together." Troy dug the keys out of the commander's pocket and unlocked Moffitt's handcuffs. His own were next, then he tossed the keys to Hitch. Hitch freed himself and reached over to free Tully, being careful not to get in his way if he needed to use the rifle he had picked up.

Hitch inched his way toward the concealed jeeps. Tully followed, keeping a wary eye on the unarmed Germans.

"Tell them not to follow us." Moffitt ordered.

"They will if they don't want to find your bullet riddled body lying beside the trail." The Brit answered. He twisted his hand in the officer's collar until the officer had trouble breathing.

"Do not follow us." The officer ordered in a strangled voice. "I am ordering you to stay in camp."

"Let's go Moffitt!" Troy called.

The Brit pulled the officer to the jeeps with Tully and Hitch sitting in their seats. Troy jumped behind the 50 to give them cover until they could get out of the camp. Shoving the officer into the passenger seat, Moffitt took the weapon that Tully handed him and pointed it at the officer.

"You go first." Troy called to Moffitt. "We'll cover you."

Troy grabbed the handles of the 50 and prepared to shoot anyone who attempted to stop them. He saw soldiers rushing out to see what was happening. Dietrich and Karl were standing next to the convoy that was getting ready to leave. Troy threw a half salute to the Captain as the jeeps raced out of the camp. He opened fire as the commander's men came to life and tried to stop them.

The two jeeps rushed out of the camp through a hole that had somehow appeared in the false rocks forming the gate. The road was fairly clear at first but soon Tully was dodging rocks that could disable a jeep. Suddenly Tully swerved as a large rock loomed in the roadway. Moffitt fought to keep his balance at the sudden change of direction. The prisoner was thrown against Tully's shoulder. Tully glanced over at him and shrugged him off, glaring at him as he did so.

Hitch, following too close to swerve in time, clipped the rock with his jeep. Troy expected the jeep to come to an abrupt stop but instead the rock rolled away with a dent in its side.

"Fake." Hitch called over his shoulder with relief.

Troy grinned and shook his head.

The two jeeps careened down the trail toward the desert floor ahead. Behind them two halftracks gave chase but the jeeps were faster and already had a head start. The sounds of pursuit fell behind as the two privates pushed the little vehicles for more speed.

Troy kept his small team moving even after they reached the flat desert. The halftracks came out of the hills and started after them but it wasn't long before they turned back. Troy grinned as he saw them climbing the trail to the hidden base.

When Troy called a halt he jumped out to help Moffitt with the prisoner. Tully and Hitch came over for their orders.

"Hitch, stand guard while Tully goes over the jeeps. I have to code a message to headquarters and then I'll help Moffitt with the prisoner."

Hitch nodded wordlessly and took his rifle to stand in the back of the jeep.

Troy finished sending the message informing headquarters of what they had found. Not waiting for a response, he wandered over to Moffitt. "What were those explosions back at the base?"

"I have no idea."

"Ask him.' Troy ordered.

"I thought it was you." The officer answered.

"We were prisoners, how could it have been us?" Moffitt asked.

"If not you, then some of your friends."

"That is possible." Moffitt answered. "We have many friends."

"But how did you tell them where to find us?"

"We didn't." Moffitt explained. "You did."

"Me? How? My men were very careful. They must have followed that convoy in."

"No." Moffitt shook his head. "We lost that convoy while we were running from the captain. We didn't know where it went until it showed up at your base."

"It had to be you or your men who led them there." The Brit insisted.

"Moffitt!" Troy called as the conversation continued in German.

"He says he doesn't know." The Brit translated. "I have an idea but I suggest we discuss it at a later date. Perhaps some time when we aren't being hunted."

"Okay. Let's shake it." Several hours later Troy called another halt so that they could get something to eat. They hadn't seen any sign of any Germans and they were well into their own territory. Tully stood guard while Hitch cooked a meal.

Moffitt caught Troy watching his driver intently. Leaving the prisoner tied to a tree, he walked over to the other sergeant. "Is something wrong Troy?"

"I don't know."

"Is it Hitch?"

'Yeah." Troy sighed. "I guess this thing is bothering him."

"Tully too." Moffitt answered softly.

"They knew we were just playing along." Troy shook his head. "We told them that right from the start. They have to know that we would never really consider accepting an offer like that."

"The Army says they are expendable." Moffitt reminded him. "We all are."

"But we don't think that way!"

"No, we don't, and they know that." The Brit agreed.

"I don't get it."

"We were just asked to kill our friends." Moffitt explained slowly. "Even if we didn't accept the offer I think it's only natural for them to wonder if we were tempted to do so."

"Never even considered it." Troy declared.

"Nor I, but the seed of doubt may have been planted."

"Then maybe it's time to dump some weed killer on that seed." Troy rose angrily to his feet. "Tully, Hitch, come over here!" Troy led them away from the prisoner so they could talk in private.

"Is something wrong Sarge?" Hitch asked when he saw the sergeant's stormy expression. "Did that kraut say something else?" He gave the prisoner a murderous glare.

"We need to talk about what happened." Troy began as Moffitt wandered over. "We need you to know that we never even considered that offer, not for a second." The two younger men exchanged surprised looks.

"We know that Sarge!" Hitch insisted.

"Never thought you did." Tully added.

Troy paused, his intended speech thrown off by the answer. "Then why are you sulking around here like you think we might have sacrificed you?"

"We're not." Hitch denied.

"You've both been pretty quiet." Moffitt noted.

"Well yeah." Hitch answered. Troy could hear the 'duh' in his tone.

"Yeah what? What's going on?" Troy demanded.

"We're mad Sarge!" Tully explained. "I'd blow that guy's head off in a second if he gave me even the tiniest bit of an excuse."

"He tried to turn us against each other!" Hitch added indignantly. "What kind of a psycho is he anyway?"

Troy smiled and dropped his head to try to hide it. "Apparently he's not a very smart one. He made a big mistake with that offer. Let it go. He's not worth it."

Hitch looked over at Tully and frowned. "I'll try Sarge, but it won't be easy."

"Nothing worthwhile ever is."

Hitch looked over at Tully again and nodded.

"Tully?"

Okay Sarge, on one condition." Tully agreed.

"What's that?"

"He has to stay on his own side of the jeep. I don't want him leaning on me."

Moffitt chuckled. "I'll make sure he's tied to the seat from now on."

"Sarge?"

"Yeah Hitch?"

"Those were American grenades that blew those gates open." Hitch looked confused. "Who threw them?"

"I have a theory." Moffitt began. He shared it with the others. He was almost correct, but not quite.


	7. Chapter 7

**Fortunes of War**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 7

"They managed to disappear into the desert." Dietrich told the lieutenant.

"I expected as much." The officer admitted. "Their jeeps are much faster than our halftracks."

"What now?" Dietrich asked. "They will report your position as soon as they are in radio range."

"I know." The lieutenant agreed. "We have no choice, we must abandon the base. We aren't equipped to defend it. If our artillery were already in position it would be different. We could hold them off if we had the big guns here."

"Did you find out who helped them escape?"

"No, no one saw or heard anything. I trust my men Captain. I do not think any of them would have helped the Allies."

"I trust my men too lieutenant. Besides, they were preparing the trucks to leave under the watchful eyes of your men." Dietrich replied.

"One of your men was seen near the American vehicles earlier today." The lieutenant offered. "But I had him watched; he was not the one who threw the grenades." The young officer did not make any excuse for having had the Captain's men watched.

"I cannot think of anyone who would have helped the Allies escape." Dietrich reiterated his support for his men.

"I think that there may have been a second American team out there Captain. The commander got careless after capturing the prisoners."

"That would explain it." Dietrich agreed. "Would you like me to try to run them down?"

"No Captain, the damage is done."

"The fortunes of war?"

"Yes sir. I have no choice but to pack our trucks and abandon this base before the American planes find us. I suppose the planes will be here either today or tomorrow at the latest. I have to supervise the dismantling of the base. Excuse me Captain."

Dietrich walked back to his halftrack deep in thought. There was one among his soldiers who might have helped the Allies escape; except, he knew that Karl couldn't have been involved. Young Private Litzman had been his shadow since leaving the commander's tent the night before, and neither of them had gone anywhere near the American jeeps.

In their halftrack Karl and Fritz were watching the two officers as they talked.

"They are going to try to blame the captain." Karl worried.

"How can they? The captain never went near the American jeeps."

"The jeeps?" Karl asked in surprise. "What about the jeeps?"

Fritz looked around quickly to make sure that he couldn't be overheard. "Gunter and I were talking about…you know, what you told us. It didn't seem right to us. We know that they are the enemy but we have decided that they are not so bad. Otto was killed in battle and they did treat us well while we were their prisoners." Fritz talked quickly, watching Karl closely as he talked.

"All we did was give them a chance to die with honor." Gunter explained hurriedly. "We didn't mean to help them escape."

"You could be in serious trouble if anyone finds out." Karl warned.

"No one saw us." Fritz explained. "I went to the jeeps and took the hand grenades. I left them near the gate and made sure that I was in plain sight when they detonated."

"I threw the hand grenades and then rejoined the other drivers. Everyone's attention was on the prisoners. I was never near the jeeps." Gunter finished explaining.

"You are the only one we have told." Fritz continued. "We thought that you would understand. If you tell the captain we will not deny it. We just ask that you remember what you told us."

"What did I tell you?" Karl asked.

"You said that they were soldiers and deserved to be treated as soldiers. There was no honor in the death the commander had planned for them. That was what we were trying to give them, an honorable death. We thought that they would be killed trying to escape."

"We never thought that their escape attempt would be successful." Gunter added.

"I do understand." Karl nodded. "But I am not sure that the captain will be so understanding."

"Must you tell him?" Fritz asked.

Karl bit his lip. "No, not if you promise to never speak of it again, to anyone. By keeping silent about this I am now as guilty as the two of you."

The two friends exchanged happy grins. "We promise."

"Good." Karl smiled at the two men. "This never happened. We will never mention it again."

"Private!"

Karl turned at Dietrich's call. He gave his two friends a wink and jumped down from the halftrack. "The Captain is calling me, I have to go."

Dietrich wondered what serious conversation he had interrupted but he decided to leave his men their privacy.


End file.
